Ultra-Fluffy Japanese Cheesecake

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 3 hrs 30 min total; 1 hr
• total time: 3 hrs 30 min total; 1 hr

Ingredients

220g Cream cheese

90g Whole milk

50g Granulated sugar

20g Neutral oil

15g Vanilla extract

10g Lemon juice (from ½ lemon)

5g (1¼ tsp) Kosher salt

1g (1 tsp) Lemon zest, finely grated (from ½ lemon)

60g Egg yolk(s), (4 large yolks)

30g All-purpose flour

15g Cornstarch

Foam

50g Granulated sugar

1g (¼ tsp) Cream of tartar

140g Egg white(s), (from 4 large eggs)

Directions

1 Prepare cake pan

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 380 °F / 193 °C with fan on if using a convection oven, or 400 °F / 204 °C if using a conventional oven.

Cut a 9-inch round of parchment paper. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and use a paper towel to spread oil evenly over surface of pan. Line pan with parchment round.

Cut two 3- by 16-inch strips of parchment paper. Spray one side of each strip with nonstick cooking spray. Line walls of cake pan with parchment strips, sprayed sides facing in, overlapping them slightly. Set aside.

2 Heat and blend cheesecake batter

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine cream cheese, milk, 50 g sugar, oil, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, and lemon zest. Set over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until cream cheese is soft and spreadable, and sugar is fully dissolved, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add egg yolks and, using an immersion blender, blend until emulsified and no streaks remain, about 30 seconds.

Add flour and cornstarch, and continue blending, scraping down sides of saucepan as needed, until mixture is completely smooth, about 45 seconds longer. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.

3 Whip meringue

In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 50 g sugar and cream of tartar until combined.

Add egg whites to bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Mix on medium speed until frothy and opaque, 1 to 2 minutes. With mixer running, slowly stream in sugar mixture down the side of the mixer bowl. Increase speed to high and mix until medium peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stop mixer and set meringue aside.

4 Fold meringue into cheesecake batter

Fold one-third of meringue into cheesecake batter and gently stir until no lumps remain and mixture is streaky. Add remaining meringue and fold until cheesecake batter is just combined and no lumps or streaks remain, 20 to 30 folds.

5 Cast batter

Pour cheesecake batter into prepared cake pan. Firmly tap pan on work surface to remove large air pockets.

Insert a skewer or similar fine-tipped object 1/2 inch below surface of batter in center of pan and, in a gentle spiraling motion working gradually outwards to edge of pan, stir surface of cheesecake batter. Repeat process several times —this will help smooth out surface of batter.

Cut an 18- by 18-inch piece of aluminum foil and lay flat on work surface. Place cake pan in middle of foil and gently fold foil around sides of pan so bottom and sides are completely covered, folding overhanging edges so that foil is flush with rim of cake pan. Place cake pan in a 10- by 10-inch baking pan.

Bring kettle or small saucepan of water to a boil.

6 First phase bake to brown top

Transfer baking pan to oven rack and, taking care not to splash water into cake pan, pour enough boiling water into baking pan to reach halfway up sides of cake pan.

Bake, rotating cake pan 180 degrees after 5 minutes, until top of cheesecake is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

7 Second phase bake to finish

Reduce oven temperature to 225 °F / 107 °C and continue baking, rotating cake pan 90 degrees every 15 minutes, until cheesecake top is domed, dark brown, and center registers 180 °F / 82 °C on an instant-read thermometer, 50 to 60 minutes longer.

8 Cool cheesecake

Carefully lift cake pan out of baking pan and transfer to wire rack. Let cheesecake cool at room temperature for 1 hour.

If serving cheesecake warm, proceed to Step 9. If serving cheesecake cold, transfer cake pan to refrigerator and chill, uncovered, until completely set, about 3 hours.

9 Slice and serve

Release springform clasp, remove sides of pan, and peel away parchment from sides of cake.

Slice cheesecake into portions, dipping knife in warm water and wiping blade before each slice. Transfer slices to individual serving plates, making sure to remove and discard parchment from bottom of each slice. Serve.

Make-ahead and storage

Cheesecake can be made in advance, wrapped tightly in plastic, and refrigerated for up to 1 week.